Representing the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Sunday afternoon’s loss to the Nationals, Cal Stevenson was due up. On a day when slugger Bryce Harper and catcher J.T. Realmuto were out of the Phillies’ lineup, the recent Triple-A call-up Stevenson batted for himself with a runner on first base.
He grounded into a double play to the pitcher. Then, light-hitting backup catcher Garrett Stubbs grounded out to second base to end the game. Harper was not a consideration to enter for either one of them.
“I wanted to give both him and J.